Next Post
Easy Fluffy Eggnog Cinnamon Rolls.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
Sweet and Savory Cheesy Bacon Wrapped Puff Pastry Twists…the holiday appetizer that everyone asks for…year after year. They’re quick, easy, and everyone loves these sweet and savory twists. Flaky puff pastry twisted up with cheese, wrapped in salty bacon, then tossed in a rosemary brown sugar. Bake these twists in the oven until the bacon is crisp and “candied”. There never seems to be enough of these…addictive, festive, and perfect for both Thanksgiving and Christmas entertaining + a recipe the whole family will enjoy.
Ingredients
- Light or brown dark sugar
- Fresh rosemary
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Frozen puff pastry
- 1 egg, beaten
- Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Cayenne pepper
- Thin cut bacon
Tis’ the season for all the appetizers and holiday cheer. We’ve entered Thanksgiving week and as you can guess, I’m ready for it. The holidays feel even more special this year and I’m really making an effort to do everything. Decorating? It’s in the works. Thinking up fun holiday giveaways? Yes, yes, of course (anything on your wish list?). Plotting out the best Christmas gifts for my family? Workin on it.
I’m being overly ambitious for sure, but something inside me wants to make both Thanksgiving and Christmas extra special this year. I blame it all on the year we’ve had. It’s been so crazy and I’m ready for the familiar happiness of the holidays. If you’re a Scrooge, I’m apologizing now for all the holiday talk yet to come.
With Thanksgiving only 3 days away, I’ve started to plan, prep, and roll out all the last-minute recipes that literally anyone can make. When my list of holiday “to-do’s” is a mile long, it’s the easy recipes like these twists that really come in clutch (as my brothers like to say).
The history on these twists.
These twists have been around since 2013. They’ve been so well-loved over the years. They’re a personal favorite of mine. I love them because they’re the easiest to make. And along with their ease, they’re also way too good.
I say way too good because stopping at just one twist is nearly impossible. The sweet and savory flavors make these fun twists addicting. When I originally made these, it was just a few days before Thanksgiving. I was looking for an easy appetizer to serve my family. With five (now six) brothers…all of whom love bacon, I knew these had serious potential to be very well-loved.
When I made them for Thanksgiving that year, it was also the year that I botched the cocktails. If I remember correctly, I believe I tried to make a candy cane martini. Let’s just say it wasn’t for them. Thankfully, I had these twists on hand, and thankfully, they turned out to be the star of Thanksgiving. They’ve now become tradition. Everyone looks forward to them each year…and I usually make them for Christmas too!
Here are the details.
These are pretty simple, and honestly, kind of fun to make.
Start with my go-to holiday ingredient, a little store-bought puff pastry. Roll it out, top it with cheddar, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Now fold the pastry in half and cut it into strips. I tried to get a few process photos for you guys so you could see more of what I’m talking about.
Now twist the strips up, then wrap each strip in thin cut bacon. Using thin cut bacon is key here. It will cook more evenly and quicker. If you have thicker pieces of bacon, I would cut each in half.
The secret to these festive twists?
The secret to these twists is the sweet and savory mix of brown sugar and fresh rosemary that coats the bacon. Mix the two together, then roll the bacon twists through the sugar mix. Once baked, you’ll have a cheesy pastry, wrapped in sweet candied bacon.
It might seem like a rather odd combination, but trust me, it’s very delicious. And also what makes these twists addictingly good.
You can assemble these mini bites ahead of time, then just bake them up once guests arrive. They can be served warm or at room temperature. Though I think they’re best warm and fresh out of the oven.
So you see? These are pretty close to being the perfect holiday appetizer, and the rosemary keeps them flavorful and festive too.
These are just as great for Thanksgiving as they will be for all upcoming holiday dinners…and nights full of decorating!!!
Looking for other easy last-minute appetizers? Here are my favorites:
Mini Pastry Wrapped Cranberry Baked Brie Bites
Mom’s Secret Christmas Eve Chex Mix
Goat Cheese Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Dates with Rosemary Honey
Lastly, if you make these Sweet and Savory Cheesy Bacon Wrapped Puff Pastry Twist, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Watch The How To Video:
Sweet and Savory Cheesy Bacon Wrapped Puff Pastry Twists
Servings: 26 Twists
Calories Per Serving: 285 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup light or dark brown sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, using to your taste
- kosher salt and black pepper.
- 2 sheets (1 box) frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (or a mix of your favorite cheeses)
- 1-2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (optional)
- 24 strips thin cut bacon, or 12 sticks of thicker bacon, halved
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Line 2 baking sheets with foil and place a wire rack on top. Lightly rub each rack with olive oil. 2. In a shallow bowl, combine the brown sugar, rosemary, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. 3. Place both sheets of pastry on a lightly floured counter. Brush the surface of each with a beaten egg. Evenly sprinkle about 1/2 cup of cheese over each sheet, then sprinkle with cayenne. Dust a rolling pin lightly with flour and roll the rolling pin over the cheese, gently pressing the cheese into the pastry. Fold the pastry in half, then cut each into 12 (1/2 inch) wide strips. Pinch the ends to seal, then gently twist each strip several times to enclose the cheese. It's ok if some of the cheese falls out. 4. Take a piece of bacon and wrap it around the twisted pastry. Repeat with the remaining twists. Dredge the twist through the brown sugar mix, tossing to coat, placing the twist on the prepared baking sheet as you go. 5. Bake 30 to 50 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. My bacon took 50 minutes to cook, start checking the twists at around 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature…though I love them warm!
This post was originally published on November 23, 2020
Made these for a church gathering today. They are absolutely delicious and so pretty! Everyone was raving! THANKS! I will make them many more times and will put this recipe on my “family favorites” list!
Ah, thats so awesome! Sounds so fun!! Thanks for making them!!
I’d love to make these for a work brunch but don’t have access to an oven to warm them up… Still worth doing?
Would it be best to bake before freezing? Thaw to room temp, then bake? Or would it be best to make a couple of days ahead, keep in fridge, then reheat?
Thanks,
Carolyn
Hi Carolyn! Honestly, I think either option would work out great! If it where me, I would just make them a few days ahead and keep them in the fridge, but like I said, the baking and freezing option will work get too. Let me know if you have questions. Thanks so much! ?
This recipe is one of the biggest hits I ever made. Easy, and really really great!
If anyone ever tried freezing, do let me know 🙂
Awesome!! Happy to hear! Freezing them works perfectly!! Thanks Lin
Made these in the morning to take to our dominos night. Reheated them at 250 for about 20 minutes. Needless to say they flew off the plate. Froze several to see if that would work, will try the frozen ones next week.
Delicious! Will def have to try this! —Danielle sphereofdin.com
Thank you so much! I hope you love it!
Wow! I made these for a Polar Bear Plunge party we hosted on New Year’s Day. Everything is better with bacon, but these were amazing!! I prepped them the night before, and put them in the oven 45 minutes before my guests arrived. The aroma was almost as good as the flavor. Thank you for sharing this delicious, fun recipe!
What an ingenious recipe! I’ll be making these using my fluffy gluten-free biscuit recipe with the same cheese and seasonings from my soft gluten free breadsticks recipe. I hope my sticks look as pretty as yours! Thanks for the inspiration!
Happy New Years!
Thanks Carla! Hope you love these!
What an ingenious idea! I was searching to see what I could wrap with bacon. I’ll be using my Fluffy Gluten Free Biscuit Recipe. I just hope mine look at beautiful as yours!
Have a happy New Year!
Um, wow. Just wow. Going to make these for a holiday gathering next weekend! So creative!!!
Thanks! Hope you love these!
Could these be made the day before?
Yes, you can bake these the day before and then reheat in a 250 degree oven for 10 minutes. Hope you love these!!
The recipe says 1 cup cheddar cheese, but only instructs on what to do with 1/2 cup. Other than that great recipe, thanks!
Hey Mark! 1/2 cup goes on 1 sheet of pastry and the other 1/2 cup goes on the other sheet of pastry. Make sense? Sorry for the confusion.
These look amazing! We’re going to double the recipe to make these for a big birthday brunch! I’d prefer to cook them fresh though. Do you think I could completely prep them the night before and just throw them in the oven the next morning or would the puff pastry not like that very much? Thanks!
Hi! Yes, prepping them completely the night before will work great! Hope these are a hit! Thanks!
These look amazing! I’ll be making these for a work brunch and was thinking about making them the day before – what’s your best recommendation for reheating it?
HI! I would reheat in a 300 degree oven for maybe 10-15 minutes. Let me know if you have other questions. Hope these are a hit! 🙂
These look amazing. Going to make them for a brunch. Do you think thick sliced bacon would take to long to crisp up?
I think thinner slices would be better, but thick slices should work too! 🙂